Mediterranean Pizza

Want to introduce some Mediterranean flair into your pizza? This recipe has all the joy of sitting at a bistro overlooking that great azure sea while sinking your teeth into the hallmarks of Mediterranean food…in pizza form!

Mediterranean pizza can come in a variety of forms – because there are more possible Mediterranean toppings than you might want to put on one pizza. The Mediterranean Sea spans many countries both in Southern Europe and North Africa and therefore the cuisine is a bit of a melting pot amongst the region. Options take inspiration from various locations and can include entirely vegetarian (or not), sauces (or no sauce), even vegan.

Why is Mediterranean Food Considered Healthy?

The Mediterranean Diet is inspired by a smaller subset of these countries – Greece, southern Spain, southern Italy, and Portugal.

According to Eatingwell.com, Mediterranean foods come with a number of health benefits, including heart protection, weight loss, and cancer reduction. Cleavlandclinic.org states that the Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. Olive oil is the main source of fat. They state that research shows the Mediterranean Diet can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions.

Is a Mediterranean Pizza part of the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is more holistic than a single meal – and unless you count leftovers, that’s what we’re doing with our Mediterranean Pizza!

The ingredients here aren’t strictly part of the diet, but if you use a whole wheat pizza dough and if you include a fruit on your pizza (tomatoes anyone?), then this pizza recipe will meet the requirements (for a single meal anyway).

Mediterranean Pizza Sauce Options

You can absolutely use traditional pizza sauce for this pizza (Italy, and specifically Naples, are on the Mediterranean Sea), but this style of pizza generally focuses more on olive oil as the “sauce” simply because of its fundamental place in the diet. In which case, you should consider using extra virgin olive oil.

Although not a sauce you would cook on the pizza, hummus on the side makes for a fun dipping option for your crust!

Mediterranean Pizza Topping Options

With such a broad range of national influences on what constitutes Mediterranean foods, you have a lot of options. But if we wish to honor the Med diet, then here are some of the more popular choices:

• Olive Oil (preferably extra virgin)
• Fish (such as anchovies)
• Vegetables and fruits (such as tomatoes, olives, spinach, artichoke, etc.)
• Feta cheese (due to its high protein and low fat content)
• Whole grains (you can use a whole wheat pizza dough)

Because the diet is not super prescriptive, you can certainly add some toppings that are on the fringe of the diet, such as:

• Chicken
• Gyro meat

Legumes or nuts are possibilities, but these are going to make for quite a different texture in your pizza!

Ingredients for Our Favorite Mediterranean Pizza

Okay, we’ve explored the possibilities, for the toppings but time to get down to business with our favorites!

• Either a store-bought pizza dough or try our recipe for Easy Peasy Dough Here
  • If you want to be true to the Mediterranean Diet, then use a whole wheat pizza dough.
• 2 tablespoons of flour (for stretching the dough)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 ounces of feta cheese
• 1 ounce of black olives (dried)
• 2 ounces of artichoke hearts (chopped and drained)
• 6 anchovies (sardines are also an option if you find anchovies too salty)
• 1 teaspoon of Greek seasoning (we prefer Spice House’s Greektown, but you can use a seasoning of your choice or even just a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano).
• 10-12 Spinach leaves

How to Make Mediterranean Pizza

Whether using homemade or store-bought dough, ensure it is at room temperature. Follow the instructions on the label if using store-bought, but generally, it should be out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

We cooked our pizza in our outdoor Solo Stove Pi (but you can of course use any outdoor pizza oven such as one from Ooni), transferring it to the oven on a wooden pizza peel. If using a peel, dust the peel with the flour and/or cornmeal. I like pressing it out into a circle on a silicone mat first, then transferring it to the dusted peel.

If using a pizza pan, apply a coating of oil on the pan and on your hands. Using oiled hands, press the dough into a circle on the pizza pan. Peel or pan; it is easier to transport the dough onto the pan or peel before it is topped.

Sprinkle the Greektown seasoning on the pizza dough. Then add the olive oil. Use a sauce brush to distribute the sauce and seasoning across the entire pizza dough leaving about 1″ at the edges.

Top the pizza with each of the toppings except the spinach distributing them evenly – put the feta cheese on last. You’ll likely enjoy the pizza more if you break the anchovies into halves or thirds to distribute the salty flavor throughout the pizza.

If your artichoke hearts and anchovies were packed in olive oil, there’s no reason not to drizzle the oil over the pizza (or save it for dipping the crust).

Top the pizza with your feta cheese and head to the oven.

Mediterranean Pizza Cooking Instructions

We’re cooking with a Solo Stove Pi outdoor pizza oven, but naturally this recipe can be cooked in any outdoor pizza oven such as one from Ooni. The biggest variation will be cooking time. If you’re using a wood burning outdoor pizza oven, it’ll take a little effort in managing the wood to get the proper temperature (especially if you’re also making and topping the pizza).

Note that if you are planning to use a pizza stone, this thin crust recipe is going to be hard to launch with a hot oven in front of you.  You’re far better off starting the pizza on a pizza pan or a cookie sheet and then transferring to it to the pizza stone.

Cooking Time: Outdoor Pizza Oven

• Cook at >650°F
• 4-6 minutes
• Rotate a quarter turn 4 times.
• Rest for 5 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.

Cooking Time: Pizza Stone Indoor Oven

• Cook at 450°F on a pizza pan or cookie sheet
• 6 minutes, then rotate
• 6 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer the pizza to the pizza stone
• The top of the pizza should already be browning, in which case turn the oven off.
• Leave in oven for 5 extra minutes
• Remove and rest for 5 minutes before cutting and eat immediately.

If you are using a gas-heated outdoor pizza oven, just prior to launching, make sure the oven is not at max heat. That likely results in overcooking the top before the crust has cooked through. Turn it down!

Rotate the Pizza!

Using our Easy Peasy Dough with the Solo Pi, get the stone to about 650°F-700°F degrees at the back (measured with an infra-red thermometer) and the front will generally be at or below 600°F – and that’s a decent difference from front to back. That’s why it’s important to rotate the pizza during cooking.  Even in a conventional oven there is still generally variation, so it’s good to rotate your pizza at least once while cooking.

Once the pizza is launched, you’ll need to rotate. The first rotation is the most critical – the entire pizza needs to have firmed up enough that you can turn it without it losing its shape or tearing a hole – but you also can’t see the hottest side, so you don’t want it to burn. That’s why you don’t want the oven to be at maximum heat.

In a conventional oven, you probably only need to rotate your pizza once.  In an outdoor oven, you generally want to rotate it a quarter turn at a time. Before that first turn, use your turner or peel and nudge the end closest to you to make sure it’s going to keep its shape.

Check the Bottom

Prior to pulling the pizza out, use your turner to lift the pizza and check how firm it is and how well done the bottom is. Make sure it has some stiffness and some browning.

Time to Eat

Remove the pizza and let it stand for at least three minutes before cutting. While it’s resting, distribute your spinach over the pizza.

Cut, serve, and enjoy this delicious Mediterranean Pizza you’ve made yourself!

Substitutions and Variations

As discussed above, a Mediterranean pizza can but doesn’t have to follow the Mediterranean Diet. And you can deviate from this recipe to suit your tastes You can also:

• Use a whole wheat pizza dough
• Include other Mediterranean foods like: chicken, gyro meat, or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese
• You can also easily make this dish vegetarian (just remove the fish) or even vegan.
• You can use tomato sauce.
• You can serve with a dip for the crust like hummus or more olive oil.

Additional Tips for Making Mediterranean Pizza

• If you use a thinner crust pizza dough like the AVPN Neapolitan Pizza dough, you’ll want to cook it at a higher temperature in an outdoor oven (>850°F)
• I like using a silicone mat to press my pizza dough out if it is going on a peel. It’s hard for things to stick to it, yet easy to clean. I like this one because it outlines the circumference of the pizza.

How to Store It

Let the pizza cool before placing it in a container but put it in the fridge within two hours. There are specific pizza storage containers, but you can use any container that will fit the pizza. I like to “double wrap” to maintain freshness. I wrap it in tin foil or place it in a plastic bag. Then I put that inside my container. Store in the fridge and eat it within 4 days. You can also place it in the freezer for up to 60 days.

How to Reheat It

If the pizza is from the fridge: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once it reaches temp, place it on a pan or the pizza stone for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat the slices in a skillet on the stovetop – no need to preheat the pan! Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, place the pizza in, and let heat for 6-8 minutes.

November 25, 2023